RTO Reporting Requirements

The Quality Indicators (QIs) have been designed to help registered training organisations (RTOs) with continuous quality improvement through evidence-based and outcomes-focused indicators.  They also allow you to assess the risk of your RTO's operations.​

Under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, RTOs are required to collect and use data against the following QIs:

• ​Le​arner and employer surveys.

QI reporting is due annually on 30 June, for reporting on January to December of the previous calendar year.

If you fail to submit your QI reporting by the due date it means you fail to comply with your RTO's registration requirements, which may affect your RTO's risk rating.

Learner and employer​​ surveys

Nationally consistent data allows for benchmarking and encourages RTOs to discuss ways to improve training and assessment with other training organisations. It also allows you to:

• gauge how well you are meeting your client needs
• develop relationships with key learner and employer stakeholders
• identify areas for improvement in training and assessment

Feedback provides a valuable source of information that you can use to improve your RTO's performance.

To ensure consistency RTOs are required to use specific templates for learner and employer surveys.  This allows data collection for the learner engagement and employer satisfaction quality indicators.​

The survey templates can be downloaded by clicking on the link/s below:

• Learner Engagement
• Employer Satisfaction

Instructions on how to submit the data to TAC can be found in the Fact Sheet: RTO Reporting Requirements. 

Total VET Activity (TVA) is a mandatory national reporting requirement for RTOs. TVA refers to the collection and reporting of data that complies with the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard (AVETMISS). AVETMISS is a national data standard that ensures consistent and accurate capture and reporting of Vocational Education and Training (VET) information about students.

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) is the custodian of the Standard.

RTOs must submit AVETMISS compliant data on all nationally recognised training where there is a responsibility for issuing a statement of attainment or qualification.​

TVA reports for the previous calendar year are required to be submitted by the end of February, unless a full exemption applies under the National VET Data Policy.

The Unique Student Identifier (USI) forms part of an RTO's AVETMISS data and must be included in its TVA submission.

Reporting instructions for WA RTOs:

Publicly funded data

All publicly funded data reporting is submitted directly to the Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD), the State Training Authority (STA) in WA via current Training Allocation Management System (TAMS) reporting requirements.

RTOs accessing state funding should contact DTWD via training.markets@dtwd.wa.gov.au with further enquiries regarding submission of AVETMISS data, as the requirements differ for training delivered under funding agreements.

Non-publicly funded data

All other data is reported directly to NCVER via the AVETMISS validation software.

For assistance with the AVETMISS validation software, RTOs should contact NCVER directly.

Additional Information

More information on National VET Data including Frequently Asked Questions, the National Data Policy and VET Data Legislation and Privacy Notice, is available from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website.

NCVER has developed an RTO hub which provides Fact Sheets, an AVETMISS data entry tool for RTOs with less than 100 students,  AVETMISS validation software for RTOs to validate their data before submission as well as a range of other resources on their website.

Exemptions

Exemptions from submitting data compliant with the AVETMISS for the National VET Provider Collection may apply in some cases.

RTOs must consult with TAC for an exemption. RTOs will need to provide evidence to support their claim for an exemption, against the Training Products on their Scope of Registration.

Exemptions:

• National security, border protection and policing exemption
• Delivery of emergency or safety community services exemption

Details of the exemptions are contained in section 5 of the National VET Data Policy.

Total VET activity exemptions

RTOs accessing an exemption to VET activity reporting

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In April 2012, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to the implementation of a specially designed tool known as the Unique Student Identifier (USI). The USI is a reference​ number that stays with a person for life. It is intended to provide students with a full record of their VET achievements regardless of where they were completed.

The Student Identifiers Act 2014 was passed in June 2014, and the USI scheme came into effect on 1 January 2015. As a result, RTOs must have a valid and verified USI for each student before a testamur or statement of attainment can be issued to that person, unless an exemption applies.

If an exemption applies under the Student Identifiers Act 2014, the RTO must inform the student prior to commencement that the training will not appear on any authenticated VET transcript prepared by the Student Identifiers Registrar.

RTOs must also protect the USI to ensure students' privacy and for this reason it must not appear on testamurs or statements of attainment.

The USI will be reported through Total VET Activity (TVA) reporting.​

For further information, resources and technical support, please visit the USI website.

Clause 8.4 of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 requires RTOs to provide the Training Accreditation Council (TAC) with an annual declaration on compliance.

The declaration is in relation to whether the RTO:

1. currently meets the requirements of the Standards across all its scope of registration and if not, action taken or planned to address the non-compliance, and
2. has met the requirements of the Standards for all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) certification documentation issued in the last financial year.

By submitting the annual declaration the RTO's Legally Responsible Person is confirming that:

• the RTO systematically monitors and evaluates training and assessment strategies and practices; and
• uses the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation to inform improvements in business and educational practice.

Systematic evaluation should be based on evidence from a range of sources, including outcomes of validation, complaints and appeal processes, feedback from learners, clients, trainers and assessors and quality/performance indicator data collected under the Data Provision Requirements.

The annual declaration covers the RTO's entire scope of operations, including all services provided on its behalf by other organisations under third party arrangements, and for all locations where the RTO operates in Western Australia, Victoria or overseas.

Completing the Declaration

The Annual Declaration on Compliance for RTOs registered with TAC is due by 30 September for the previous financial year.

RTOs that do not submit an annual declaration by the due date may be deemed to be non-compliant with Clause 8.4 of the Standards for RTOs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I access the declaration. What's the link?

A: An email will be sent to the Legally Responsible Officer of your RTO.  The email has a unique link for your RTO to access the declaration.

If you have any questions regarding accessing the declaration, please contact TAC on:

P: (08) 9224 6510

E: tac@dtwd.wa.gov.au

Q: What happens if I answer that my RTO was/is non-compliant with some of the Standards?

A: RTOs are encouraged to respond truthfully and accurately to the questions in the declaration and will not be penalised for doing so.

Q: What happens if I do not complete the declaration?

A: Clause 8.4 of the Standards requires RTOs to provide an annual declaration on compliance. Clause 8.1(a) also requires RTOs to cooperate with the VET Regulator by providing accurate and truthful responses to information requests from the Regulator.

Failure to submit a completed declaration means your RTO is non-compliant with the Standards.

Q: Do I need to complete the declaration if I haven’t done any training?

A: Yes, RTOs are required to complete and submit their declaration by 30 September 2024, regardless of whether any training has been conducted.

Q: What is the deadline for submission of the completed declaration?

A: The Annual Declaration on Compliance for RTOs registered with TAC is due by 30 September for the previous financial year.